Losing Motivation quickly

I hope to see what the answers are for this. I am in the same boat as you...but I got on the scale and went from seeing 10lbs lost to 7lbs.....it has sent me for a loop! Why is it so hard to start back now?

Weigh in. It's all bout being honest with yourself. And really, you should be eating at least 1200 calories NET every day... you could gain simply by not eating ENOUGH. If your goal is set at 1200 by MFP, at least try to stay within 50 cals on either side of that. So weigh. You never know, those extra calories could have helped you LOSE... I've heard stranger true stories on this site before.

This is my opinion! I want others to be successful as well and I want to help. Please take this constructively!


I get really really frustrated when I read certain comments like this. I am going to try to explain because I really want to help. What do you mean you took a day off? Of what, life? You should not be on a diet, you should just be living. If you have a day where you go over your calories, then it is just that, a day you go over. Exercise when you can and eat smart when you can. Nothing should be "off limits" completely. Just eat smart. Moderation. If you have a day when you splurge, be careful the next day. Don't take a "day off". Because everyday is your life. Not just the days you eat really well. Good luck to you!

I would say that anybody with extra weight around his or her belly has an eating disorder, and tools like MFP are great ways to keep that eating disorder under control. If overeating is an eating disorder, why would you or anybody else think they had the ability to stop using the tool after losing a few pounds? If you had lost 11 pounds, stopped logging, and never gained any of the weight back, it may be safe to say that you've overcome your eating disorder. Since you gained weight, I guess it's safe to say you still have a problem with food.

You're thinking of logging your calories as a diet, and this is a way of life. Even after you met your weight-loss goal, you should log calories to maintain. You can be skinny for life, but you cannot think of this tool as a diet plan. It's a lifestyle change. If eating 1200 calories a day stresses out your body, then set your settings differently to take in more calories, but log even if you eat crap. Log log log.

Boy, do I know this situation! It's one I deal with on a regular basis (unfortunately) and it can be soooooo tough to bounce back from. But I can tell you that you *can* do it! It takes a lot of conscious effort to shift your thought process and "get back on the wagon", but a week like this (including the possible gain at your weigh in) can be useful to help not just motivate you, but to help you understand your triggers and eating behaviors better. Not easy lessons to learn sometimes.

First... don't worry about what others may say. During times like this, the last thing I ever wanted to hear was "If you want to lose weight, you can do it if you want to." That may be true, but it can only make you feel worse. Don't listen to those, at least not yet. Wait until you're in a more positive frame of mind, then take that in. Right now, you need to listen to yourself and cut yourself a break. You're not "bad", "wrong", or "a failure." You're a human trying to change their life. You will have difficulties. It's ok. As I was once told... "Progress, not perfection."

Next... your weigh in. Do it. Having those numbers (no matter what they are) gives you a way to track your progress. Remember, it's not the only way (tracking measurements, the way your clothes fit, how you're feeling overall are other ways). A body's weight fluctuates quite a bit for a number of reasons, so don't let that be your sole gauge of your progress. Let it guide you and help you set your goals for the future.

This is the time when you're gonna need to dig deep; find that spark of inner strength, remember your motivations for losing the weight in the first place, help yourself believe that it's not one moment in time that defines your weight loss journey, but everything you choose along the way that will ultimately determine your success. This one week is not your whole journey. It's only one small part of it with more left to be determined. You hold the power to make each choice. Pour your determination into making that next choice, no matter how small it may seem, a positive one. Just one to start. Don't worry about the rest for now. One moment at a time.

Know that you're not alone. The mere fact that you posted shows that you haven't given up. That's a great choice! You CAN do it! :flowerforyou:

Regarding weighing in tomorrow -- think about how you will react. I personally wouldn't weigh in because it would have a negative impact on me. I would work REALLY hard (read: high intensity workouts and staying within my calories) for the next week and then next week hope to have a loss. Everybody is different and you need to think about what's best for you. You stumbled this weekend but don't let it bother you, you can't change it. Just start doing again what you did to lose the first 11 lbs!